How to paint upholstery

When it comes to updating the interior of your home (especially on a budget), paint is your best friend. A few coats can transform a room or hallway and make worn-out furniture look like new.

However, you can go beyond painting wooden bookshelves and metal tables to painting upholstered furniture such as fabric chairs and sofas. Here’s what you should know:

What kind of upholstered furniture can be painted?

Most upholstery can be painted, but when working with fabric, tighter weave tend to give the best results. velvet, suedeWhen microfiber can all be painted.

But before spending time, money, and effort painting upholstered furniture, inspect the area thoroughly. The paint will cover the dirt and previous color, but it will leave problems such as holes, flat cushions and broken springs. So if your furniture has such issues and you decide it’s worth moving forward, fix the issues before painting.

What kind of paint works best?

There are several types of paint that can be used for upholstery, so much depends on the material and personal preference. It’s a common choice.

Charlie Rihanna Murphyinterior designer and owner pink penthouse— Studio space in Kyle, Texas — Regularly paints upholstered furniture to match the rest of her rosy interior, and after some trial and error, one coat of interior latex paint worked best for her. I discovered something. “I use latex paint. It works like faux leather,” she tells Lifehacker.

In the past, Murphy used chalk paint on his upholstery, but found it to crack. Similarly, in her experience, fabric spray paint tended to rub off.

How to prepare furniture

Before you begin, remove any removable cushions or pillows and vacuum everything thoroughly. Next, tape off the parts of the furniture that you don’t want to paint. Then wet the dough (a spray bottle filled with water It works well).

“This will help the paint penetrate the fabric, so you don’t have to apply multiple coats,” explains Murphy. She also primes upholstery —Some people skip that step and do 2 or 3 coats of paint instead.

how to paint furniture

Once the piece is ready, mix the paint (if desired) and apply small patches test A hidden part of the upholstery painting and craftsmanship guarantee you will achieve the results you want.Assuming they do, it’s time to paint.

paint inside small sectionTake your time and let it soak into the dough. Don’t forget to paint along the seams, around buttons, corners, and any other crevices.

Here’s what Murphy does:

If you want to skip the primer and paint many times, Abrasive sponge or sandpaper (approximately 220 grit) Let the paint soak into the upholstery between topcoats.

Then leave the furniture Alone until completely dry.Then some people Wax or liquid patina top coat Seal the freshly painted upholstery, but again it comes down to personal preference.